The family of bioactive lipids known as the leukotrienes exert pharmacological effects on respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems. The leukotrienes are generally divided into two sub-classes, the peptidoleukotrienes (leukotrienes C.sub.4, D.sub.4 and E.sub.4) and the dihydroxyleukotrienes (leukotriene B.sub.4). This invention is primarily concerned with the hydroxyleukotrienes (LTB) but is not limited to this specific group of leukotrienes.
Leukotrienes are critically involved in mediating many types of cardiovascular, pulmonary, dermatological, renal, allergic, and inflammatory diseases including asthma, adult respiratory distress syndrome, cystic fibrosis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
LTB.sub.4 has been established as an inflammatory mediator in vivo. It has also been associated with airway hyper-responsiveness in the dog as well as being found in increased levels in lung lavages from humans with severe pulmonary dysfunction.
By antagonizing the effects of LTB.sub.4, or other pharmacologically active mediators at the end organ, for example airway smooth muscle, the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention are valuable in the treatment of diseases in subjects, including human or animals, in which leukotrienes are a factor.